The first vehicle based on shared underpinnings from its parent Fiat, the Dart has to show Chrysler can build competitive cars--and, even more important, top-quality small cars that compete in the heart of the market: the compact four-door sedan segment.

Based on a weekend test drive, the first Dart we'd driven since the launch event last summer, we'd say that the Dart is a huge step up from the unloved Dodge Caliber hatchback it replaced.

But it's not yet among the best in the segment for driving quality, interior refinement, or performance.

Better than EPA combined rating

On fuel efficiency, though, we were somewhat impressed.

Our car came with the smallest engine, a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine from Fiat that produces 160 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. To get all that power, however, you'd better like to rev it--at which point it gets considerably noisier.

It's worth noting that the same engine paired with a six-speed manual gearbox is not only $1,100 cheaper, but gets slightly better ratings at 32 mpg combined (27 mpg city, 39 mpg highway). There's also a Dart Aero version with a highway rating of 41 mpg.

That makes the Dart one of the few cars to exceed its combined rating on our test by more than 1 mpg, a notable (if minor) achievement.

Mid-size interior volume

The Dodge Dart is spacious for the category it competes in: It's actually deemed a mid-size sedan by the EPA, based on its interior volume, though it's more likely to be viewed and sold in the compact segment.

That puts it up against stalwarts like the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Ford Focus. Other competitors include the Chevy Cruze, Hyundai Elantra, Volkswagen Golf, Subaru Impreza, and Mazda 3.

Our high-end Dart had rich-looking cream and grey two-tone upholstery, with black accents. A nice and unexpected detail was a pair of stitching lines in yellow and white thread across the top of the dashboard.

The seats were comfortable over our highway cruising miles, and we liked the usefulness of the bin hidden under the seat cushion of the front passenger seat. No, you can't use it with another person in the seat, but when driving solo, it's a large and useful storage space.